Automatic head-lamp control.



C. E. BUNKER.

AUTOMATIC HEAD LAMP CONTROL.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 6, l lfi.

Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Show

1 L h DF urns 110.. rnom-Llnmlumsulncmn n c C. E. BUNKER.

AUTOMATIC HEAD LAMP CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED ,UNE 6. 915- 1,230,663. Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Elwuwwboz 6 .1 7 .Bunfier C. E BUNKER.

AUTOMATIC HEAD LAMP CONTROL.

APPLICATKON FILED JUNE 6.1916.

1,230,663. Patented June 19, 1917.

5114mm to:

CAREY E. BUNKER, OF OREGON, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC HEAD-LAMP CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed June 6, 1916. Serial No. 102,013.

'1 u all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Canny E. BUNKER, a citizen of the United States. residing at Oregon in the county of Holt and State of hlissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Head-Lamp Controls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic headlamp controls, the broad object of the invention being to produce simple and reliable mechanism by means of which the headlamps of an automobile or other motor vehicle may be caused to turn automatically and simultaneously with and at the same angles as the steering wheels of the machine for the purpose of illuminating that portion of the road way which is to be followed in accordance with the position of the steering wheels.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide headlamp turning mechanism having a novel connection with and relation to the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle and which at the same time is capable of being readily applied to any of the well known types of vehicles of the class referred to without material alteration of the steering mechanism of the vehicle.

A further object in view is to provide headlamp controlling means which will not be afl'ected by the lateral vibration or wabbling of the steering wheels, the lamp t11rning mechanism of this invention being controlled entirely by the steering member on the steering shaft which is not affected by the lateral vibrations of the steering wheels. Therefore, the lamps remain steadily at the angle to which they have been adjusted thereby adding reatly to the safety. reliability and practice ility of the mechanism as a whole.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction. combination and arrangement of parts.

as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

Tn the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lamp turning mechanism of this invention. showing the same associated with a pair of headlamps.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing one form of supporting bracket for each headlamp.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the worm driving mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section showing one manner of mounting the concentric shafts for controlling the steering wheels and oscillatory headlamps.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the mechanism illustrating the relation of the main steering link and the lamp turning link to the worm gearing and the lamp and steering wheel turning arms.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a modified arrangement of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing another manner of connecting the lamp turning link with the steering arm.

Fig. 8 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the lamp turning mechanism associated with a different type of steering mechanism.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the sectional operating arm of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the lamp brackets and the parts immediately related thereto.

Figs. 12, 13 and 1a are detail views of modified forms of lamp posts.

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another modification in the supporting means for one of the headlamps.

Fig. 16 is a detail perspective view of the movable member of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a detail view of the stationary member of Fig. 15.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing the means of this invention as applied to a steering gear of a different type.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary elevation looking toward the edges of the sector gears employed in Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the same mechanism modified to adapt the lamp turning means to the opposite side of the lamp p Fig. 21 shows mechanism similar to that shown in Fig. 20 but dispensing with the tubular shaft, and having the two shafts parallel toeaeh other.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates one of a pair of brackets for supporting the carrying forks 2 upon or within which the headlamps 3 of a motor vehicle are carried. Each of the brackets 1 has attached thereto or formed integrally therewith (as pre-*' ferred), a substantially vertical hearing sleeve 4 through which extends one of the lamp posts 5 the same being threaded at 6 to provide for the adjustment thereon of an upper ball bearing cone 7 and a lower ball bearing cone 8, antifriction balls 9 being employed in connection with each of said cones to prevent longitudinal movement of the post 5 while allowing the same to turn freely. The bracket is either threaded upon or loose on the upper end portion of the post 3 and when properly positioned, it is held fixedly by means of a nut 10 which may thus be utilized to take up wear in the bearings at the top and bottom of the bearing sleeve 4. Another nut 11 is also threaded on the lamp post 5.

Each of the posts 5 has a rearwardly extending arm 12. On each of these arms is mounted a clip 13 adjustable lengthwise of its respective arm and held at any desired point thereon by means of a set screw 14. A roimecting or tie rod 15 has its ends connected by pivots 16 to the clips 13 causing both of the lamp posts to turn simultaneously and equally in the same direction. A rms 12 may be turned forwardly in some instances.

)Iounted on one of the posts 5 is a vertically adjustable sleeve 17 held in place at any suitable elevation by means of a set screw 18. Extending toward the center of the machine from said sleeve 17 is an arm 19 and adjustable lengthwise of said arm is a sleeve 20 having the ball member 21 of a hall and socket joint, the shank of the ball 21 being threaded through the sleeve 20 so as to bind against the arm 19, 22 representing a jam nut for preventing the ball member 21 from working loose.

represents a link having at its forward end a socket member 2i to fit the ball 21 above referred to. As shown in Fig; 1, the opposite end of the link 23 has a ball and socket joint at 24 with the steering arm 25 of the ordinary steering mechanism of an automobile. the arm 25 being fixedly connected to a sector worm gear 26 which is actuated by a worm 27 on the steering shaft 2H shown as equipped with the usual controlling hand wheel 2%).

la Fig. the use of two sector gears or worm wheels is shown, 30 representing the worm wheel which actuates the steering wheel connections and 31 representing the arm which is connected by the ball and socket joint 94 to the link 23 as above described. Both of these gears or sector gears :50 and 31 mesh with and are actuated by the worm 52'? on the shaft 28. In some vehicles, it is necessary to arrange the steering arm 32 at some distance to one side of the worm 27 on the steering shaft 281 This may be done as illustrated in Fig. 4 in which the main steering worm wheel 33 is mounted fast on a tubular shaft 34- by which the arm 32 carried, while the lamp turning gear indicated at 35 is mounted on. one end of a shaft 36 which extends through the tubular shaft 31 and has the lamp turning arm 37 fast on the opposite end thereof. Ball bearings 38 are interposed between the two shafts 34: and 36 to reduce friction. The construction just described is illustrated clearly in Figs. t and 5.

If desired, the lamp turning link 23 may be connected at its rear end by a ball and socket joint 39 to the main steering link 40 as shown in Fig. 6. Figs. 7 and 8 show that, if desired, the pivot point 41 may be adjusted longitudinally of the steering arm 25 by connecting the link 23 to a pivot which. is carried by a clip 42 fastened at any desired point of adjustment along the length of the arm 25 by means of a set screw 43.

In other types of steering gear, a lamp turning arm 44 may be fastened to the steering arm 45 and made longitudinally adjustable thereon. The arm 44 is formed with a socket 47 to receive the steering arm 45, and is held rigidly by means of set screws 46. Said lamp turning arm 44 is provided at its lower extremity with a ball 48 to which the link 23 is connected by a ball and socket joint. The other end of the link 23 may be connected to either the right or the. left lamp post arm 12 or the tie bar 15.

In Fig. 11. the sleeve 52 is shown as having an inverted substantially U-shaped and laterally offset attaching portion 50 which is adapted to embrace one of the frame bars of the machine to which it is fastened by means of screws 51 or their equivalent, said sleeve inclosing an inner sleeve -i. containing ball races for the ball bearings l heretofore described. In Figs. 12. 13 and 14, there are illustrated lamp posts 6. of different constructions to adapt the lamp turning mechanism to different makes of machines, the only difference in the lamp posts illustrated in said figures residing first in the particular manner of bending or forming the crank arm 19 and secondly, as shown in Fig. 14, in formin said crank arm as an integral portion. of the lamp post, the arm 19 being welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the post 3 and arm 12 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

In Fig. 15, the lamp bracket 2 is shown as hearing a fixed relation to the sleeve 4, the latter turning with the bracket 9. Under such arrangement, the post 6 will be stationary or non-rotary and fixedly related to a frame engaging member 54- fastcned to the adjacent frame bar of the machine by screws or their equivalent. Under such. an arrangement, the sleeve 4 has a down wardly projecting extension 56 having a substantially horizontal arm 57 which has the same function as the arm 19 shown in Fig. 2. The ball cones i are mounted directly on the post t'i' as shown in Fig. 17.

In the type of steering gear known as the worm, nut and sector construction, the nut shown at 59 in Fig. 18 will he provided along one face thereof with rack teeth 60 of sutlicient width to engage two sector gears, 61 designating the sector gear for the regular steering mechanism and (32 representing the sector gear used in connection with the lamp turning mechanism. It will he observed that by using the gear (52. in the specified relation to the traveling nut 59, the headlamps will be held steady and will not he adected by any wabbling or lateral vibratory movements of the steering wheels. Otherwise, the construction illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19 is similar to those previously described. steering shaft and (it the worm thereon which causes a hack and forth movement of the nut 59 which is of course non-rotary and always in mesh with the sector gears (31 and 62.

In order to adapt the lamp turning mechanism to certain car construction in which it will be necessary to have the lamp post arm 12 (shown in Fig. 20) turned outwardly, and in opposite direction to the way the arm is turned on the front steering wheel, the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 20 mav be employed. In said figure, instead of the single lamp turning link illustrated in the preceding views, said lamp turning link consists of two members 65 and (ltl the adjacent ends of which are pivotally connected to a two-armed lever 67, the link member 65 being connected to the arm 12 of the adjacent lamp post on the same side of the machine, and the link member 66 being connected to the lamp turning arm 37 heretofore described. The same movement could be obtained by extending the arm 37 upwardly instead of downwardly but this might be found to interfere with some of. the motor parts or connections and therefore I have devised the mechanism shown in Fig. 20 which will accomplish the desired purpose.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will now be seen that under some one or other of the arrangements described, the lamp turning mechanism may be readily applied to machines of different makes now on the market. One of the chief advantages of this invention resides in the fact that the headlamps are held fixedly so as to throw a steady light. irrespective of the angles to which the lamps are adjusted. In other words, the lateral movements of the steering wheels are not transmitted to the lamps. It will also be observed that the throw of the lamp turning links may be increased or diminished by reason of the In Fig. 18. 63 represents the.

adjustment at both ends of said link thus giving a greater or less throw to the lamps as may be found desirable on the part of the owner or operator of the car. Furthermore. the several parts of the mechanism are so mounted as to the bearing features thereof, that the mechanism as a whole will operate without any noticeable increase of friction. Furthermore, wear may be taken up at the several places where the ball bearings occur, thereby preventing rattling of the several elements of the lamp turning mechanism.

In some instances instead of having shaft for sector 62 extending out to one side, an arm 37 may be dropped directly down from 62. While 62 is illustrated on the near side of 61, it may be on the other side as well. The curved section taken from 62 is necessary when the centers of rotation of the two sectors are close together as shown in Fig. 21. The centers of rotation of (31 and 62 may be increased so as to avoid the necessity of taking the section from 62 but the rack 60 would have to be longer.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, such as, for instance, having the attaching portion 50 to conform in shape with the part to which it is to be attached, like the vehicle fender or the fender support, and being arranged within an opening through the tender and braced in a substantial manner.

I claim 1. The combination with a head lamp, a supporting post for said lamp mounted to turn on asubstantially vertical axis, a worm fast on the steering shaft of the vehicle. a worm gear meshing with and actuated by said worm, a tubular shaft on which said worm gear is mounted and by which the steering arm is moved, a second worm gear also meshing with said worm. a shaft for said second worm gear extending through the tubular shaft of the first named Worm gear, an arm on the shaft of said second gear, and lamp turning means including an arm on the lamp post, and a connection between the last named arm and the arm on the shaft of the second worm gear.

2. The combination with a pair of head lamps, and substantially vertical posts supporting said lamps and adapted to turn on their longitudinal axes, a worm fast on the steering shaft of the vehicle. a worm gear meshing with and actuated by said worm, a tubular shaft on which said worm gear is mounted and by which the steering arm is moved, a second worm gear also meshing with said worm. a shaft for said second worm gear extending through the tubular shaft of the first named worm gear, an arm on the shaft of said second gear, and lamp ltd turning means including ii lamp turning link connected with the last named :irnl and nperntively connected with the lamp posts.

3. The combination with {L head lamp, and :1 lump supporting post mounted to turn on :1 substantially vertical axis and provided with :1 lamp turning arm, of a worm fast on the steering shaft, :1 pair of countershafts jonrnziled beneath said steering shaft, said eountershzifts extending out from beneath said steering shaft and being suitably joinnaled. ears supported by said conntershufts beneath the steering shaft on the same side of the \YHIIH and actuated therel'roni. actuating! arms depending r'roln said counterslnifts, a connection between one of said ill'DlS and the arm of the lamp post, and a connection between the other of said ELI'IIIH end the steering connection of the front wheels, both of said connections being located below the aforesaid eoi'lnterslmits.

In testimony whereof I iifiix my signature.

CAREY E. BUNKER Witnesses:

C. J. BUNKER, H. G. ITARSIIA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

